AKRON, Ohio, July 23, 2013 – Through the kindness of Richard M. and Yvonne Hamlin, Summa Health System announced today the largest philanthropic gift in its organization’s history – a $4 million contribution for the creation of a hybrid cardiovascular operating room at Summa Akron City Hospital. In honor of the benefactors, Summa’s Center of Excellence building at 95 Arch Street in Akron will be renamed The Richard M. and Yvonne Hamlin Pavilion. The facility is home to numerous cardiopulmonary patient services as well as medical and surgical physician offices.

“We are grateful to the Hamlin Family for their generosity in this gift,” said Thomas J. Strauss, Summa Health System President and CEO. “Their gift, the largest in our history, coupled with the kindness of so many other donors throughout our community, will help to ensure we continue to provide the technology and services that our patients are accustomed to receiving.”

The Richard M. and Yvonne Hamlin Hybrid Operating Room Suite will include the dual functionality of a traditional operating room and cardiac catheterization lab allowing Summa Cardiovascular Institute to offer new procedures to heart patients and perform existing procedures with the latest cardiothoracic, interventional and vascular surgery technology.

“We are pleased to make this gift to support Summa Hospital’s heart program. Akron is a great town, and Summa has done so much for the Akron community as well as our family,” said Richard M. Hamlin of Akron. “Our family is extremely grateful for the care we received at Summa, and with this gift, we are pleased to be part of Summa's continued service to the greater Akron community.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin have been life-long Akron residents. Mr. Hamlin founded The Reserve Group and The R. M. Hamlin Construction Company, both of Akron. In addition, he co-founded The Brenlin Group with David Brennan and James McCready. Brenlin, also based in Akron, was one of the largest privately held companies in the United States according to a 1992 Forbes magazine article.

With the Hamlin Hybrid Operating Room Suite, Summa surgeons will have the ability to offer new services to cardiovascular patients that previously were only available outside of Akron, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Construction of the suite will begin this falland is expected to be complete in spring 2014.

“The Hamlin Hybrid Operating Room Suite will be a foundational component in Summa Cardiovascular Institute’s further integration of heart and vascular services,” said Kenneth Berkovitz, M.D., medical director of the Summa Cardiovascular Institute. “Our surgeons and staff will be able to provide complex procedures that require multidisciplinary care between cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, cardiologists and radiologists who share decision-making and management of patients for optimal care delivery.”

The Hamlin Hybrid Operating Room Suite will be equipped with the latest in medical imaging, audio and video integration along with full health information technology. It is expected to serve 1,000 patients in its first year.

Summa Health System is one of the largest integrated healthcare delivery systems in Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, a multi-specialty physician organization, research and multiple foundations, Summa is nationally renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional approaches to healthcare delivery. Summa's clinical services are consistently recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (Magnet status), U.S. News and World Report, Thomson Reuters and The Leapfrog Group. Summa also is a founding partner of the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron. For more information, visit www.summahealth.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/summahealth and Twitter at www.twitter.com/summahealth.